The Saints could see much-publicized tight end Jeremy Shockey in their lineup for the first time this preseason when they tackle the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night at Paul Brown Stadium.
Shockey is expected to give the Saints another offensive weapon with big-play ability. He suffered a broken leg last December while he was with the Giants and has been taking it easy on the practice field since joining the Saints in a trade just before the start of training camp. He ran some plays with the first team on Monday and appears ready to make his first appearance against the Bengals.
Shockey said if you don't see him on the field practicing, he is working on a treadmill underwater. "The only thing I can do is keep concentrating on learning the playbook, which I think I have a good grasp," said Shockey. "I've spent some good time with Drew (Brees). "It's going to be fun."
Coach Sean Payton coached Shockey when he was an assistant with the Giants and is looking forward to seeing the controversial, outspoken tight end in the Saints system. He had expected to use Shockey last week against Houston, but Shockey said he wasn't ready. "I didn't want to do something stupid by pushing too hard and too early," said the tight end.
"I'm optimistic he'll play some against the Bengals," said Payton. "The downside of him playing too early would be pushing it and having a setback and not having him available for the first game of the season (Sept. 7 against TampaBay). "We're going to practice him all week and play him in the game."
Running back Reggie Bush told the media the 3.7-yard rushing average he had last season was not the real Reggie Bush. In two preseason games this year, Bush has carried 14 for 46 yards, a 3.3 average. Maybe that's the real Reggie.
Payton is looking for defensive help and is bringing in players to compete with his disappointing injured and rehabbing defensive players.
The Saints signed former Bowl safety Lance Schulters, 33, on Monday. He hails from Hofstra, receiver Marques Colston's alma mater. Schulters has played with the 49ers, Titans, Falcons and Dolphins. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1999.
"He gives us some experience and versatility and can play either free or strong safety," said Payton. "He's in pretty good shape although he hasn't been a starter the past two seasons."
The Saints looked at four safeties early this week as well as defensive tackle Booger McFarland, who is looking for a job after winning Super Bowl rings with TampaBay and Indianapolis. Schulters was the only player signed.
Payton said cornerback Usama Young will miss a week and a half because of a hamstring pull. Cornerback Randall Gay suffered a bruised triceps is expected back on Tuesday. Missing practice on Monday were defensive tackle Brian Young (foot), middle linebacker Mark Simoneau (back), wide receiver Aaron Arrington (turf toe), cornerback Crone Cox (groin) and defensive tackle Hollis Thomas (triceps surgery). Cornerback Mike McKenzie, the team's best defensive back, has recovered from ACL surgery and will play against the Bengals.
Young, who has been slowed by an arthritic knee in preseason, said he dog underwent surgery on Monday to repair a torn meniscus in one of his legs. "My luck rubbed off on the dog," said Young.
At midday on Monday, the team met with with media consultant and former press secretary to President Bush Art Fleischer. "If you do something wrong, you'll have to account for it," Fleischer told the players. "The White House and the NFL now have many more reporters covering them than in the old days. They'll report how you conduct your life." He said Bush is most unpopular president since the polls came into existence and that Gov. Jindal should stay where he is for now.
Saints cornerback Jason David, who was torched repeatedly in the loss to Houston and booed by Saints fans in the Superdome, handled the media more deftly on Monday morning at the training facility. He said he understood why fans would boo him and that he needed to improve his NFL skills. He has had a season and half a preseason to improve and the fans haven't seen any improvement, only a target on his back for quarterback to throw at with success.
"Looking at it from a fan's point of view, I'd probably boo myself to," said the cornerback. "The fans have high expectations, too, as I do and the coaching staff does."
Payton defended David's play against Houston by saying, "I think the blame for this game game has to be spread around the room, not just on one player."
Former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert said," As nice a guy Jason is, he needs to find another line of work."
Saints receivers should have much success against the Bengals, who also are experiencing cornerback problems.The Bengals had the NFL's worst pass rush in 2007, and like the Saints, want o increase pressure in the pocket. The Bengals cornerbacks are 5-foot-11 and are picked on by tall receivers. Colston, 6-foot-4, should have another banner night like he had against the Texans. And Shockey? He's a wide receiver in a tight end's body, but he is usually covered by the slower linebackers and safeties.
The Bengals were expected to re-sign wide receiver Chris Henry to a one-year contract on Tuesday. The former Belle Chasse and Louisiana-Lafayette receiver and kick returner had been released on April 3 after his fifth arrest as a Bengal. Charges against Henry were later dismissed. He had been under house arrest in his Cincinnati apartment and forced to wear an electronic monitor on his ankle. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Henry for the first four games of this season for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Bengals starting wide receivers Chad Johnson (shoulder sprain) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) might not practice until the regular season opener.
SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: USC ranks No. 1 in the 2008 College Football Preseason Oddsmakers Poll released by Las Vegas Sports Consultants. The Trojans also finished at the top of last year's final poll LSU is ranked 15th in this season's poll. The Tigers ranked No. 2 last season. Georgia, picked No. 1 in the AP and Coaches polls this preseason, is ranked No. 7 by the oddsmakers. Here's the Vegas boys' top 10" 1. USC. 2. OhioState. 3. Oklahoma. 4. Missouri. 5. Florida. 6, West Virginia. 7.Georgia. 8. Texas. 9. Texas Tech. 10. Clemson. The AP preseason poll tabbed LSU No. 7. "I don't really care," said Tigers coach Les Miles. "It's about how we perform. I appreciate the compliment and I'm glad we're close.If we take care of business we can take care of. we'll finish where we would like to."...Former LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey was in the starting lineup for the Chiefs in their loss to the Cardinals last week, but came out after one play. He missed two weeks with a sprained knee and played occasionally in the game.but hasn't yet flexed that potential the Chiefs expect out of their top draft choice, a $51 million man...
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin is glowing over the performance of JaMarcus Russell in a loss to the Titans. The former LSU quarterback led the Raiders to their only touchdown with a 10-yard TD pass. Russell completed 10 of 17 passes for 75 yards. On the touchdown drive, he was 5-for-6 for 61 yards and his quarterback rating was 148.3. His other six drives resulted six punts and a field goal. "There was nothing to point at him as far as not doing things right," said Kiffin. "It was either things weren't there or a guy wasn't making plays for him. I thought he played extremely well when you look at his composure, his energy, his excitement." "I was pretty good out there today," said Russell...From Tommy Barnhart, in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Kirston Pittman, Tyson Jackson--Both of these guys should be in the NFL right now. Instead they will give LSU the best pair of defensive ends in college football. Pittman missed two complete seasons due to injuries. He was a freshman on LSU's 2003 national championship team. He applied for a sixth year of eligibility and he got it. Last season he led the Tigers in sacks with 8 and tackles for a loss with 13. Jackson is a fifth-year senior with 26 starts and probably has the best speed off the edge of any player in the SEC. With DT Ricky Jean-Francois clogging up the middle, LSU will send these guys after Georgia QB Matt Staffordearly and often on Oct. 25. Even if Georgia wins in Baton Rouge, if Stafford gets bet up in this game it could effect his play the following week against Florida...
Is LSU running back Keiland Williams in Miles' doghouse? "There is no doghouse," said Miles. "We play the best players. They guy that gives this team the best opportunity at victory, that's who we play. All the rest of them just don't stay in the doghouse." Tigers running backs coach Larry Porter told Williams that he noticed he wasn't practicing as hard as he could the past two years. "I worked hard to make sure that doesn't need to be discussed any more," said Williams. True freshman cornerback Patrick Peterson, who could be a starer this season, stripped the ball from Williams, who fumbled for the third straight scrimmage. "It was a no-tackle scrimmage and Peterson stripped the ball from Williams," said Miles. That can make you mad and want to fix it."I think Williams did some good things, but I'm not happy with the tunover."..."Jarrett Lee threw the ball extremely well in Saturday's scrimmage," said Miles. "He ran a couple of nice draws and scrambled out of the pocket a couple of times and looked pretty good."
"Jordan Jefferson took a couple of snaps, rushed for 25 yards, had a couple of completions," said the coach. "He played pretty well." Starting quarterback Andre Hatch experienced stiffness inhis back and sat out most of he scrimamge...Rookie cornerback Chevis Jackson started for the Falcons the other night and former Tigers All-American center Ben Wilkerson is trying to win a job with Atlanta...Disgruntled wide receiver Joe Horn missed the Falcons' game with the Colts.The former Saint was in full unfiform, began to limp during pre-game drills, and came onto the field in black shorts and a black shirt, attire won by injured players. Horns has expressed a desire to be traded or cut. but there has been little interest in him regarding a trade, and the Falcons don't want to cut him now because his $2.5 base salary is guaranteed...From Bernie Linciome of the Rocky Moutain News: "Brett Favre will find out that, in New York, a hayseed is a health food."...My time is up, Ed Staton can be reached at edcoachstaton@yahoo.com
